University of Toronto – Mitacs Globalink Research Award

Step One: Eligibility check

Students interested in coming to the University of Toronto (Inbound)

• Inbound GRA applicants are students and postdoctoral fellows registered at institutions outside of Canada awarded the GRA to conduct research at UofT.

• Please check if your home institution is in an eligible country. For inbound mobility, all countries are eligible except for Russia and North Korea. If you have any questions or concerns, email globalinkaward@utoronto.ca.

U of T students interested in conducting research outside of Canada- Outbound

• If you are a degree seeking student or postdoctoral fellow at U of T conducting research at external institutions or countries, you are considered an outbound applicant.

Please keep in mind:

• Locations with “Avoid all travel” or “Avoid non-essential travel” Travel Advisories from Global Affairs Canada are not eligible for the Mitacs Globalink Research Award.
  • Please note that the Travel Advisories can change at any time. Participants are asked to check the status at the time of application and prior to travel in case of any changes.
  • Have questions about the Advisories? safety.abroad@utoronto.ca.

• Please note that the University of Toronto does not permit undergraduate or masters level students to travel to locations considered “Avoid non-essential travel” or “Avoid all travel” for university activities. PhD students whose travel is essential to their degree requirements should contact safety.abroad@utoronto.ca as soon as possible to discuss their travel plans and the process for requesting an exception.

While reviewing the Mitacs GRA eligibility requirements, please keep in mind student applicants:

• Must be registered as a full time senior undergraduate student, graduate student or postdoctoral fellow and remain as such throughout your project dates.
  • Senior undergraduates: students who have finished 2+ years of full time study or equivalent. For example, if you will finish your second year of studies in April, you will be considered a senior undergraduate as of May 1. You must be a senior undergraduate as of your project start date.
  • Postdoctoral fellows: may apply if their date of graduation from a PhD program is no more than 5 years prior to the proposed start date of the research project.
    • For postdoctoral fellows planning research at the University of Toronto, please note that the University of Toronto has a minimum annual stipend for employee postdoctoral fellows of CAD $50,000 (effective March 15, 2024). This is approximately CAD $4167 per month. As such, you may require additional funding to come to the University of Toronto as a postdoctoral fellow. Please check with your U of T supervisor, and contact globalinkaward@utoronto.ca with any questions.
  • Students cannot graduate during the Mitacs GRA project period; if you have finished your degree requirements, you will need to defer your graduation until the end of the Mitacs GRA project period.

• Cannot undertake a research project at an institution where you have previously completed a degree

• Cannot undertake a research project in a country where you hold citizenship
  • Unless you are enrolled in a Canadian institution and also hold Canadian Permanent Residency or Canadian citizenship

• Must meet the travel requirements for your intended destination, including visa and/or immigration requirements and associated documentation.

Step Two: Secure your home and host supervisor and determine your project

To participate in the program, you will need to secure academic supervisors from both the University of Toronto and the participating institution.

Supervising Professors at the University of Toronto

1. Must hold a faculty position at the University of Toronto
2. Must be eligible to supervise graduate students and hold Tri-Council funding

Supervising Professors from Participating Institution

1. Must be recognized faculty members at their institutions
2. Must be eligible to supervise graduate students

Helpful Tips!

• To secure a supervisor, graduate students could go to the Find a Supervisor website for more specific details and guidance.

• Inbound Students: It is recommended to check your home department’s guidance for ways to secure your supervisor. Contact faculty members in your home university for their guidance. You can also use University of Toronto department lists to find contacts in your area of interest, and explore U of T professors and their research areas. Then, you can contact potential supervisors directly.

• University of Toronto Students: It is recommended to check out your department’s guidance of ways to secure your supervisor. For example, laboratory medicine and pathobiology students can refer to Finding a supervisor for your MSc or PhD for more information.

• Make sure that the details of your project (e.g. approximate length, topic) are confirmed and eligible.

Step Three: Complete and submit the application

Submit the application documents 16 weeks (roughly four months) in advance!

1. Contact globalinkaward@utoronto.ca to check your eligibility and confirm there is space for your project in the University of Toronto’s allocation.
   • When emailing globalinkaward@utoronto.ca or Mitacs for the first time, please make sure to include the following information (if available):
     • Your planned host institution and supervisor
     • Your home institution and supervisor
     • A brief description (1-2 sentences) of your planned research project
     • Your planned project dates
2. Complete the Globalink Research Award application materials
   • Research projects must fit within the University of Toronto’s thematic research areas of strategic importance (PDF).
   • Additional information on research project eligibility can be found on the Mitacs website.
3. Application materials will be submitted via the Mitacs Globalink Research Award application portal. For access, email Mitacs, or globalinkaward@utoronto.ca.
4. Mitacs will support with obtaining final signatures and doing the final submission on your behalf.
   • Please note final signatures may take 1-3 weeks to obtain. During the final signatures stage, the University of Toronto will confirm that there are still spots available and that they are endorsing the project. Please ensure you submit your application package as soon as possible after initial endorsement to ensure spots are still available.

• Contact globalinkaward@utoronto.ca for specific application information and steps
• If possible, it is highly recommended to submit the Pre-Departure form and the Code of Ethics form when submitting your application, to reduce risks of delays or missing documents further in the process.

Await the outcome of your application:

You will receive a “Review Results” letter from Mitacs – Globalink Research Award approximately 10-12 weeks after submission.

Step Four: Prepare for your travel

If successful?

Congratulations! You received the Globalink Research Award!

You need to complete several steps before travelling for your project:

1. Obtain appropriate travel/health insurance.
2. Complete your Pre-departure Requirements:
   • Outbound Students: Please complete the Safety Abroad requirements approximately six weeks prior to your departure. Safety Abroad can sign your Mitacs Pre-Departure form once all Safety Abroad requirements are complete: safety.abroad@utoronto.ca.
   • Inbound Students: Check with your home university and complete any required pre-departure steps.
3. Obtain appropriate visas and required permits.
   • Outbound Students: If you have any questions about this, please contact your host institution and/or the embassy or consulate of your host country.
   • Inbound Students:
     • If you have any questions about this, please contact the following University of Toronto offices:
       • Postdoctoral fellows, contact:
         • Postdoctoral Fellows Office: 
           • sgs.postdoc@utoronto.ca
       • Undergraduate students, contact:
         • Your supervisor at U of T
         • globalinkaward@utoronto.ca
       • Graduate students, contact:
         • School of Graduate Studies International: 
           • sgs.international@utoronto.ca
4. Please note that your funding will not be released until these documents are completed and submitted.
5. Have questions about your pre-departure steps? Email globalinkaward@utoronto.ca.

If encountering any outbound-specific questions, contact:

• U of T Globalink Research Award team (globalinkaward@utoronto.ca): questions about funding, pre-departure steps, application process.
• Safety Abroad (safety.abroad@utoronto.ca): questions related to planning travel, Safety Abroad requirements, and Mitacs Pre-Departure Form.
• Your host supervisor/host institution: questions about your project, visas, arrival process, on the ground support.

If encountering any inbound-specific questions, contact:

• U of T Globalink Research Award team (globalinkaward@utoronto.ca): questions about funding, pre-departure steps, application process.
• Your host supervisor/host institution: questions about your project, visas, arrival process, on the ground support.

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